Fraud-detector.



H. MULLER.

FRAUD DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-l9. 1914. 1,192,095, 7 Patented July 25,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I. t? 1-5/1 l I I 5" 1/ ///////////flW/ Henry Mun,

H. MULLER.

FRAUD DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.19, I9I4.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 2X itmoao Patented July 25, 1916.

H. MULLER.

FRAUD DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.19, 1914.

1,1 92,095. Patented July 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Il [IA l/il Er ig i up my Snow 14 01 Henzyjfliiller lxhtuaooeo HENRYMULLER. 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRAUD-DETECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed August 19, 1914. Serial No. 857,459.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IInNnr Miinnnn, acitizen of the United States, residing at lhiladelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and htate of lennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fraudl)etectors, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in fraud detectors, the object ofthe invention being to provide improved means for showing at a distancethe entire operation of a cash register, so that the proprietor of abusiness can, in another room, not only observe the employee, but canhave before hinr an accurate reproduction of the operation of thecashregister, so that he can instantly detect fraud of any kind.

A further object is to provide an improved attachment for cash registerswhich can be installed on any ordinary cash register having upwardlyprojected indicators which show the amount of the purchase, and whichremain in an elevated position until the cash register is operated againto project upwardly other indicators as is well understood.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a. view in section showing abuilding having a bar room on the first floor and an oflice orproprietofis room on the second floor showing how the proprietor in theroom above can observe the entire operation of the business in the roombelow. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in front elevation partly broken awayillustrating the improved electric indicator which is controlled by theoperation of the cash register. Fig. 3 is a view partly in end elevationand partly in vertical transverse section illustrating my improvedattachment in connection with an ordinary type of cash register. Fig. 4is a view in section looking upwardly, said view being taken on the line4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating two series ofmy improved electric contacts. Fig. 6 is a view in cross section on theline 6-6 of Fi". 2, and Fig. 7 is an electric diagram illustrating my.improved electrical connections.

1 represents a building which contains on the first floor, a bar room 2and on the second floor, an oil'ice room 3 for the proprietor. While 1have referred to these rooms as a bar room and an office roomrespectively, the invention is not limited to this particular use, as itmay be used in connection with any business, and the rooms may belocated at various positions relative to each other and at variousdistances apart withoutdeparting from my invention, and I have chosenthese terms merely for convenience of desxaiption.

In the bar room 2, a cash register 4 is located, and on the wall of thisroom, a clock 5 or other suitable inclosure is shown. In the clock 5, amirror (3 is provided which is so positioned as to reflect theoperations of the bartender so that he may be clearly observed by theproprietor in the room 3 above. To facilitate the view, a tube 7 isprovided which registers with an opening 8 in the liner 5), and is inline with the mirror (3, so that the proprietor seated upon the chair103 in front of desk 11, can by a glance through the tube 7 observe theactions of the bartender.

The particular arrangement of the tube, is 'of'eourse to be variedinaccordance with the location, and it may assume any angle or be usedwithout any mirror if the location of thehole 8 is such as to permit theobservw tion without any mirror, hence I do not limit myself to theparticular arrangement of the tube, nor to the particular location ofthe mirror, as these features of my invention will be varied to suitconditions.

On top of the desk 11, I provide an improved electric indicator 12 whichconsists of a casing divided by vertical and horizontal partitions 13and 14 into a. plurality of compartments 15. Each compartment containsan electric lamp 16, and a transparent cover 17 closes all of thecompartments, and is provided in front of each compartment with anumeral 18, as many of such compartments and numerals being provided asthere are indicators 19 on the cash register 4.

The cash register t is of the ordinary type having upwardly movableindicators 19 which contain numerals thereon, and which are elevatedwhen the keys '20 are depressed to show the amount purchased.

Inside of the casing of the cash register, I locate abar 21 which is ofmetal or other conducting material suitably insulated from the casingand held in horizontal position as clearly shown. On the under face ofthis bar 21, I secure a bar 22 of insulation, and to this bar 22, Isecure a series of movable electric contacts. These electric contactsare arranged in several series of three contacts to a series, and thecontacts of each series vary in length, hence for convenience ofdescription I will give the contacts of each series different referencecharacters. The shortest contacts of each series I give the referencenumeral 23, the next longer contacts 24, and the longest contacts Thesecontacts are preferably of very fine spring wire or other thin metal,and are secured by binding posts 26 to the bar 22. Each contact is bentdownwardly as shown at 27, and then extends forwardly as shown at 28, sothat each indicator 19 can operate but a single contact, and it is to beunderstood, of course, that the contacts will be so arranged that theywill be above the several indicators, and the elevation of any indicatorwill cause the contact above the same to be elevated to close anelectric circuit, as each contact will have a stationary contact 29above the same.

To insure a proper electric contact, I preferably form the contacts 29with V-shaped recesses 30 in downwardly projecting tongues 31 thereon attheir free ends, and these recesses 30 receive the contacts 23, 24, or25 as the case may be, and hold the contacts against lateraldisplacement. The contacts 23 24,, and 25 are sufficiently elastic andflexible to allow for varying movements of the indicators, and to insurea perfect electric contact as long as the indicator remains in itsupwardly projecting position.

The parts above described are to be constructed as small as possible,and are to be located within the cash register to, make theminconspicuous so as not to excite suspicion, and by reason of theconstruction above described, I may attach my improvements to anyordinary cash register.

In Fig. 7, I illustrate an electric diagram showing a simple form ofelectric circuit which reduces wiring to a minimum. In this diagram, itwill be noted that the battery or source of electricity supply 32 isconnected at one side by a wire 33 with the bar 21 to which all of thestationary contacts 29 are secured. The movable contacts 23, 24, and 25are connected by wires 34 with the lights 16, and the latter areconnected to a common return wire 35 which connects to the other side ofthe battery or source of electricity supply 32.

When any of the contacts 23, 24, or 25 are moved into engagement withother fixed con tacts, the circuit is closed, and the proper light isincluded in its electric circuit to illuminate the numeral in thetransparent cover 17, hence the proprietor knows exactly what key of thecash register has been depressed, and as he can observe the actions ofhis employee and knows exactly what is going on in the room, he can tellwithout fail whether or not the business is being honestly conducted.

By reason of my improvements, the c-e.apest forms of cash register canbe used. and the proprietor will know of a surety whether or not anyfraud is being perpetuated upon him.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement(-f parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I donot limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myselfat liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by'Letters Patent is:

l. A cash register in combination with an indicator remote therefrom,means for actuating said indicator upon operation of the cash register,and means for reflecting the image of the cash register to a pointadjacent said indicator, substantialy as de-. scribed. r

2. The combination with a cash register having movable indicators, of anelectric indicator located at a distance from the cash register, a metalbar in the upper portion of the cash register and insulated therefrom, abar of insulation secured to the metal bar, a series of movable contactssecured to the bar of insulation, said movable contacts ha ving theirfree ends bent downwardly and projected forwardly and positioned overthe indicators, stationary contacts secured to the first-mentioned bar,each stationary contact having a recess in its free end to receive themovable contact, and an electric indicator included in electric circuitswith said contacts and a source of electricity supply, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two witnesses.

HENRY MULLER. Witnesses:

JACOB DUNCAN, S. W. Fos'rnn.

